The Grand Duke’s hand grabbed at the left side of his chest.
The fabric over his heart crumpled harshly.
His gaze shook violently.
“…Alright.”
At last, he spoke. His voice was filled with confusion.
“I get it, so stop making your eyes sparkle. They’re so bright it’s hard to look at you.”
Anneliese blinked.
“Stop… making my eyes sparkle?”
It’s not like people have an on/off switch for their eyes.
And she wasn’t even doing that in the first place.
Is he picking on me? Or trying to change the subject?
She was briefly suspicious, but obediently lowered her gaze.
A sigh of relief fell from above her head.
“Has the misunderstanding been resolved?”
“Yes. I understand. I’ll believe what you said.”
The Grand Duke’s expression relaxed, as if he had calmed down.
“And you should do something about that face. You’re so pale you look like a corpse that just died.”
Judging by how blunt he was being, he seemed to be in a better mood.
He probably means he was worried about how bad I looked.
Anneliese filtered his words kindly in her mind.
“My complexion will return to normal soon. I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“I wasn’t worried, so there’s no need to apologize.”
Fine then.
Can I lift my head now?
Anneliese cautiously glanced at him.
He was staring at the scar on her arm.
Ah. I forgot to pull my sleeve down.
She quickly lowered her sleeve to hide the ugly scar.
It’s not exactly something pleasant to look at. Even the Crown Prince told me to always cover it.
Of course, Anneliese had worn sleeveless dresses every time she met him—just to annoy him.
The Grand Duke didn’t marry me for my looks, but still… scars are considered flaws in the marriage market.
As she covered it, the Grand Duke looked puzzled.
“Why are you hiding it?”
“I thought it might make you uncomfortable.”
“No. There’s no need. Why would it be unpleasant? It just looks like a flower embroidered there. I found it interesting.”
This time, Anneliese was the one caught off guard.
“Oh.”
No one had ever said something like that before.
“Do humans think this is disgusting? Strange. I don’t understand what part of it is unpleasant to look at.”
The Grand Duke was completely sincere. He even let out a baffled laugh.
“Well… I’m not sure.”
It wasn’t something she could explain.
Thankfully, Isaiah appeared and saved her from the awkward situation.
With his usual cheeky tone, he said,
“She said she’s uncomfortable. Stop clinging to her, my lord.”
“I’m not clinging.”
“That’s right. His Grace isn’t clinging at all.”
The Grand Duke glared at Anneliese.
Wow. I defend him and still get this?
“Enough. Get ready to leave. We’re departing today.”
“Travel safely, Your Grace.”
Isaiah opened the carriage door.
Just before getting in, the Grand Duke turned back.
“When will you come to the North?”
“I need to organize the estate and pack my things, so I was thinking of leaving in about two weeks.”
If she had time, she also wanted to stop by the Solarichen territory.
“Hm.”
But his reaction wasn’t very enthusiastic.
Is he suspecting that I’m delaying on purpose because I don’t want to go north?
Even if the misunderstanding had been cleared up, wounds built over time wouldn’t heal so easily.
After a moment of thought, she added,
“Is that too late? If you’d like, I can leave sooner. You’ll be waiting, after all.”
“I won’t be waiting.”
“I see. Then I suppose I’ll skip visiting the territory for now. I’ll leave as soon as I’m done packing.”
She watched his reaction.
He simply nodded.
You say you won’t wait, but you definitely suspected me.
Even though things had been resolved, earning her contract partner’s full trust would take time.
I’ll make it work somehow.
Anneliese clenched her fists with determination.
“When you reach the border of the Grand Duchy, a carriage will be waiting.”
“Understood. Travel safely. I’ll see you in the North.”
The carriage door closed.
Isaiah, standing beside the driver’s seat, winked.
“Will you miss him? Should I escort you home after all?”
“Be careful on your way, Sir Isaiah.”
After sending him off, Anneliese boarded her family’s carriage and returned home.
It had been a tiring day.
As she stretched, her sleeve lifted slightly, and she remembered what the Grand Duke had said.
He said it looked like a flower…
He hadn’t been lying—he truly seemed to think so.
She raised her arm and traced the scar.
A long, reddish mark ran down her arm.
No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t look like a flower. He’s really strange.
But for the first time since that day, the scar didn’t ache when she touched it.
I’m glad I made a contract with him.
He was a bit unusual, but he seemed like a good person.
Though after telling me to stop “sparkling,” he’s been oddly avoiding my gaze…
It wasn’t something urgent.
She could think about it after reaching the Grand Duchy.
She pushed his strange behavior to the back of her mind.
Starting tomorrow, she would be busy.
Once the Third Prince goes missing, the Emperor will summon me.
To ask her to find his missing son.
She had already decided what she would demand in return.
But for now—
She chose to sleep without thinking about anything.
“Didn’t you say you’d return to the North the night of the banquet, my lord?”
Contrary to his words, the Grand Duke remained in the capital for several days.
And not just that—
He lingered around the Solarichen estate like a stalker.
“There’s something bothering me. Be patient, Isaiah.”
“I think you’re the one who needs patience. I told you she wouldn’t run away. Look—her carriage is leaving.”
Under the shade of a tree stood the Grand Duke, wrapped in a cloak.
He followed Isaiah’s gesture and watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
“Are you satisfied now? You’ve seen Anneliese Solarichen’s face.”
“She looks less pale than a few days ago.”
Since the banquet, her pale face had stayed in his thoughts.
Why does she keep bothering me?
Because she’s unusual?
She was the first person who didn’t frown at his face.
The first to meet his gaze without collapsing.
The first to ask him to remove his mask—
As if it were nothing.
And yet she makes that face over something as trivial as my hand catching fire.
He couldn’t understand her at all.
Of course, she had explained—
But his doubts hadn’t completely disappeared.
And—
What was that “sparkle”?
For a moment, it had been so bright he had to shut his eyes.
She was irritating in many ways.
I should keep her close and watch her.
Even if she wants to leave, I won’t let her go.
If she runs away…
His face stiffened just thinking about it.
“If she runs, then after making that vow, she deserves punishment.”
Yes. She’s not like other people.
She’s his contract partner.
And he despised breaking contracts more than anything.
That’s why she bothered him.
…At least, that’s what he told himself.
“What punishment are you talking about?”
Isaiah cut in, clearly unimpressed.
“You’re the one who startled her. And now you’re this anxious about it.”
The Grand Duke replied irritably,
“I didn’t know she’d be startled.”
“Human hearts are more delicate than you think. If you don’t want to make that pale lady even paler, you should restrain yourself.”
Can someone even become paler than that?
He imagined her even more pale.
His golden eyes slowly shifted.
After a pause, he said,
“Still…”
“Still?”
He frowned slightly.
“This time… she didn’t cry.”
It slipped out unconsciously.
Isaiah blinked.
“…Wait. Has she ever cried before?”
Silence fell between them.
